I would like to barter with any of the knitters on my LJ. My foot surgery is on Friday. I have some socks that will cover a full cast (extra large man's re-enactor socks). However, it being winter and me being highly suspetiable to cold on my feet, I find myself in need of  extra protection for my toes.  The other thing I am looking to get is a sock in the shape of a large mary jane shoe (so I can wear them with my garb).

I am willing to pay or barter for sewn good if there is anyone out there than can help me.

"No you may not run your case qual with dagger."- ir

" Can I get the sisters together to form a 3 man double dagger melee team?" -A
[look of horror]  and [stunned silence]- ir
"Should I take that as a no?" -A

I am getting my sitting projects in order for my recovery time.  This is the new black work pattern project.

He is on a doodle role today. So we were talking about problems in software which are "technically bugs, but..." These are bugs because the user cannot perform a function that they want, but they get entered as enhancements because they were coded according to the specifications (though who would have decided this problem was a good idea, was not thinking correctly).



When you add a party hat, a "bug-but" becomes a "feature".

I open my email up this morning to a letter called "special Bhakail baklava", in which woodwindy  sent me this link. Chocolate bacon baklava.

I may have to make this for noisemakers.

What happens when you take 5 Tads on a road trip to Birka? So many new quotes that it will take Lissa510 months to catch up to. ;-)

I fenced, and it was good.  I forgot my fencing armor, so I had to fence in my wool dress and practice jacket I keep in my case as a spare.  I didn't fence too long, as that is a very hot combination. I am starting to see my widgets come into play. I can finally see some people's "tell". I know it is going to come.  I know where it is going to go. I just don't quite know what to do with all that information yet... except parry.  And while parring keeps me alive, it doesn't kill my opponent.  But I am still all sorts of excited. I didn't do the authorization for non-rigid as I was late to the "auth in this time slot", but I think I could have passed it. I was just tired enough not to be nervous and for the most part my brain was remembering the "lead with the tip".

Shopping happened. I picked up several packages of wool embroidery floss from Reconstructing History.  I started working on the coif embroidery this afternoon on the drive home. This stuff is beautiful.  It was less expensive than the silk, and has been better to work with than the cotton pearl/floss.  It also doesnt split like linen. I also picked up a dozen period straight pins. I continued on the vein of becoming respectable. I got a pair of matching white socks (yes I said matching),some hand woven garters, and a proper belt from At the Sign of the White Rose. They do some of the best late period accessories.

A & S 50 display was fantastic.  hugh_mannity did a great job with the posting/organizing/smoozing. There are some amazing projects that are being worked on.

Court had chocolate!  Squee. I was upset that Konrad hadn't thrown any chocolate this reign.  It was one of those things I remember most about the very first royal court I attended. I mentioned this to Elsbeth last weekend, and woo hoo, kisses were thrown in court.  Apparently she had mentioned what I said to him. I was even lucky enough to get one.

I had 2 teams of people helping me corral royals after court.  It was an amazing tacticle strike from both retainer groups.  Both sets of royals have great people working with them. .I got both Her Highness and His Majesty fitted for armor  in less than 10 minutes. Lucky for me, both garments fit (insert happy dance here).

Much fun was had in the socializing department. I met a fantastic bunch of new people. I got to meet an period undie laurel (just saying that makes me giggle). And the embarassing moment of the weekend was knocking on the wrong door trying to get into my hotel room. Thankfully the face was one I could identify in my sleep deprived state and I was graciously pointed down one door to my room.

The long trip home was shorter than the drive up, but no less entertaining.  Feel free to ask about the gravy piping someday.... that one's funny.

Cupcakes are done and cooling, cookies are in the oven.
Highness jacket cut, Kings waff joined. 
Mostly packed.
Handwork ready for car sewing. New book light purchased for sewing in the dark.

We are leaving in just over an hour.  I think I am going to need a miracle to pull this off.

Last night was mock auth for non-rigid parry.  It went "ok".  I've only been working on the form for a little bit, so I wasn't sure if I was ready or not. Epee went less than stellar. Rapier went better.  I need more practice. We will see how the practice bouts go at Birka as to whether I feel comfortable with trying the actual auth.

I've been working on my fundamentals over the couple of months and learning new widgets (fencing building blocks).  I am feeling much better balance wise. I am starting to get to the point where I can see the openings where I can start to use the new widgets. 

I need to work on getting over the epee mental block. I am so not comfortable with it.  It feels "wrong". It is so light and whippy. The blade mechanics are all wrong. I thugged poor Collin like 3 times during the mock auth.

I am also working with a new blade length. I like the blade length (its a 30) but the knuckle guard is very different than my main weapon. I will probably get a new blade for my case rt hand hilt. I am trying to find different blade configurations, balances, ect so that I can feel comfortable with my weapons. I also need to remember to throw some free play into practice as well.  If nothing else to see if I am actually retaining the widgets my don keeps giving me.

Each week feels better, stronger and more together. Sometimes when you are with a group of great fencers, you forget little steps of progress that you make. But every once in a while, that "ah ha" light comes on.  The tick in the brain where I can say hey "[enter name here] that thing we worked on, it worked and I get it!"

I am finding myself surprisingly motivated. I have a dedicated person (well, shared dedicated) to work with me. I am finally feeling like I am moving forward again. Just in time for me to be off my feet for 8 weeks. We have the start of a game plan for when I am chair/off my feet bound.  Most of it involves accuracy, parry drills and some from the ground drills.

I woke up sore and tired.  That was a good feeling.

If I were thinking about getting into music, and if I were going to get a woodwind type instrument, what would you recommend.  I played flute, piccolo, oboe, sax, and some clarinet for many years. However it has been probably 15 ish years since I have picked up an instrument.

Thanks

Saturday Ianraven and I headed to the Cooks Collegium.  It was a really nice, low key event. I got some of the  "sooper sekrit" project done, networked with lots of people and secured a room at the event hotel for Birka. I got to test drive my new kirtle and shift. I was very happy with how it functioned. I topped it off with a new apron that I was gifted by math5. Though I have to confess that ianraven looks better in my hat than I do.( Read more... )

Sugar class and knife skills classes outlines, up on wordpress. While I am testing the piping dye for color fastness, here is the first completed cuff for the shift I am working on. And a close up of the Fleur-de-'not a lobster'.
( Pics below cut. )

I am now a warranted rapier marshal.

That is all. :D

Everyone posting their where's [name here list], got me thinking about where we were headed this year.
Possible events:
3/27 Mudthaw
4/10 Coronation of Edward and Marguerite
5/28 War of the Roses
Pennsic

Known events:
1/23 Chirurgy and Cooking: A Winter Schola
1/28 Birka
2/27 K & Q Fencing Champions
3/6  Noisemakers Schola
3/13 The Bog's Birthday
6/5  Ducal challenge
9/25 River War

I have updated my wordpress site with class documentation for How to run a happy kitchen (River War) and How to prepare poultry for galantines (Cook's Collegium). Knife skills and sugar work class outlines will be forth coming.  The Collegium is this weekend, so I have kinda a deadline.

I have been working on buttons while awaiting the piping decision.  I have also been working on other garmenty type things.  I have completed the coif (non embroidered), 1 and 1/2 sleeve embroidery and a proper shift is in progress.  More fabric has been ordered for HRH practice jacket. The embroidery has been started on the coif.  However I think I am going to wait to work on this project until after Birka ( I am going to look at silk thread).

( Project pics below cut. )

Coif pattern done and inked.  This is going to take me forever and a day to complete.  It is 9 X 20 and will be 100% hand sewn.  The sewing part is easy, the pattern is not terribly complicated, but there is a lot of art work. The fleur-de- not a lobster will have some  strategic whitework.

The new late period dress continues. I have the overdress mostly done. I need to tidy the edges and sew in the hook and eyes. Tonight I am working on a new shirt. Here's a picture of the "completed" outfit. It's not the best picture, but the digital is at work.
( Pic below. )

When the cabbie asks if you have a preferred route, telling him which ever is the fastest might not be the "wisest" idea.

But I did get across Philly faaaaaaast.

Interesting meme.

( Lots under cut. )